1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to brake systems and, more specifically, to a trolley magnetic braking system comprising a magnetic member having a base with diverging arms having magnetic elements fixed thereto providing opposing spaced apart magnetic fields and a trolley mechanism having a conductive element fastened thereto and outwardly depending therefrom that is driven into the converging magnetic fields creating eddy currents that retard movement of the conductive element and attached trolley mechanism creating a braking system having no moving parts.
Alternate designs of the present invention include a magnetic braking system wherein the conductive member is removed from the trolley and attached via a zipline/cable to a brake block so that the trolley will engage the brake block at a predetermined point driving the cable attached conductive member into the magnetic field slowing the trolley to a stop. As the magnetic field increases the drag value also increases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other braking systems designed for the same purpose. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 1,898,555 issued to McCune on Feb. 21, 1933.
Another patent was issued to Yoshio Nomura et al. on Apr. 14, 1970 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,862. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,795 was issued to Baermann on Mar. 27, 1973 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 31, 1978 to Baermann as U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,922.
Another patent was issued to Kroger et al. on Jan. 26, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,891. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,897 was issued to Saumweber et al. on Mar. 28, 2000. Another was issued to Pribonic on 25, Sep. 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,376 and still yet another was issued on Jul. 2, 2002 to Pribonic as U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,611.
Another patent was issued to Pribonic et al. on Mar. 18, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,083. Yet another France Patent No. FR2832114 was issued to Kroger Uwe on May 16, 2003. Another was issued to Yasuaki on Oct. 6, 2005 as Japan Patent No. JP2005271704.